As a follow up to the matter of someone who was puzzled by my
version of heaven in Lo$ V, I finally got my copy of that issue, and
while reading all those lovely letters in the letter column, I couldn't
fail to notice one reader who said they liked Lo$ II better than I (one)
because it wasn't sullied by all those supernatural beings and ghosts.
Now, is this because this reader knew that Barks never seemed to deal
with ghosts? This is quite true, and a legitimate gripe if I'm supposed
to do stories EXACTLY like Barks did them (which I can't and never will
try, since I'm not Barks, I'm only a little bit Barks). I personally
love to mess with ghosts in stories, as some of my very favorite movies
deal with ghosts and such... like WONDERFUL LIFE, GHOST & MRS. MUIR,
BISHOP'S WIFE, UNINVITED, THE HAUNTING, etc., etc., as well as the movie
that Lo$ V was besed on, A MATTER OF LIFE OR DEATH (a.k.a. STAIRWAY TO
HEAVEN)(which hasn't been seen on TV for over 20 years due to a legal
hassle). Anyway, I'm just wondering if these people are adverse to
seeing ghosts in comics because Barks never used them, or are there
radical religious fundamentalists in the woodwork? I mean, I'm well
aware of the fact that there are people who think if you watch BEWITCHED
or I DREAM OF JEANNIE or read LIL' HOT STUFF and CASPER you're gonna
burn in hellfire for all eternity since these are occult TV shows and
comics designed by covens of witches to corrupt the souls of humanity.
(I may sound facetious, but there are religious groups who actually
believe this, word for word! I've seen their literature.) So, every
time I use the Ghost of Sir Quackly, exactly who is it that's
objecting? (Wait till they see chapter IX!)